By Matters India Reporter
Kolkata: Jesuit Father Irudaya Jothi has been nominated for this year’s Kolkata NGO’s Leadership Awards.
The award, given on the World CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Day, recognizes leaders who have made a change as a strategic tool for sustainable growth. The leaders who are impactful and have faith in a MAD (Making A Difference) approach to their work will be feted on November 8 at Taj Bengal-Kolkata.
Father Jothi directs Udayani Social Action Forum, the social justice arm of the Calcutta Jesuit province. It serves as a link between the Jesuit social apostolate in India and the priorities of the Jesuit Conference of the South Asian Assistance.
An independent research team proposed his name to the chief juries who picked up his name for the award, said the secretary of the CSR.
The criteria for selection are a person’s ability to incorporate ethical values, develop responsible leaders and communities in environmental protection. The person can provide strategic perspective and build collaborate relationships, mobilize effective and sustainable resources to support programs and project works.
He or she has to support local communities, demonstrate efficient management of financial and human resources, foster good governance practices, maintain transparency and accountability.
Corporate social responsibility is a global form which functions as a self-regulatory mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards and national or international.
Father Jothi was born on February 28, 1967, at Nangathur in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu. His father Lieutenant Subedar B Anthony is a decorated officer in the Indian Army. His mother Pakisha Mary is a homemaker. He has three sisters and three brothers, one of them a Capuchin priest.
He joined the Society of Jesus in 1987 at Dhyan Ashram. After completing B.A. Political Science (honors), did studied philosophy at Sacred Heart College, Chennai, and theology at Vidyajyoti College, Delhi. He was ordained a priest on December 22, 2002 at Nangathur.
He has a Master of Social Work from Bombay University. He has worked as the state animator of the All India University Federation West Bengal.
He became the director of Udayani in 2007.
For about 18 years, Father Jothi stayed in rural villages in the Burdwan, Hooghly and 24 South Parganas districts of West Bengal. This helped him understand the struggles and pains of villagers.
His organization involves in Rights-based movements to bring social changes. Realizing that women are the most suited vehicle of this transformation, Udayani has set up Self Help Groups of women in rural West Bengal.
These women have become a force to reckon with in their villages especially to implement the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA )and National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The women have lobbied for the enactment and implementation of these acts in their villages and even gone to the national capital and other places to press their demand along along with network partners from all over the country.
Their rallies and deputations compelled the West Bengal Government to implement the National Food Security Act 2013 as ‘Khadya Shati’.
Fr. Jothi has helped empower the Santal and Dalit women through social engagements and transformed micro-credit based groups into a policy influencing force.
Around 40 village activists work with the Jesuit priest to facilitate training and to guide and support the self-help groups of non-literate, economically poor, socially- politically exploited and excluded people.
Father Jothi says Udayani can now step back and let women lead as they have become capable of getting their basic needs.
Asked about the award, he said, “I feel honored that the work of empowerment of Dalit and Tribal women in rural Bengal has been recognized and appreciated. This recognition is dedicated to the wholehearted support of my team members and the Self Help Group members.”
Basanti Soren, a grassroots activist of Udayani who leads 100 SHG presently, says the award is the outcome of Father Jothi’s dedication. “It is a prestigious moment for all of us. He first came to our village in 2003 and from the very beginning he created a very close bond with all the people irrespective of their caste creed and religion,” she told Matters India.
Biswanath Soren, a member of National Steering Committee of Right to Food Campaign, credits Father Jothi with all his achievements. “I was an unmotivated young boy of Kalna village. Father Jothi picked up boys like me and motivated us to take lead to fight against injustice. Many times we tried to escape, but he patiently spent years to teach us and open our eyes to the prevailing unjust system,” the Santal youth narrated.
He says he can now stand speak to thousands of people and train women about their rights.
Sujata Chitti, an activist in 24th South Parganas district, says the Jesuit priest has helped Dalit and tribal people in rural Bengal to live with equal dignity. “If we have more leaders like him, our society will change for better,” he told Matters India.